Paper 2026: Exciton dynamics in monolayer WSe2 probed by ultrafast valley-selective second-harmonic microscopy


Exciton dynamics in monolayer WSe2 probed by ultrafast valley-selective second-harmonic microscopy

Reviews and HighlightsQuantum ScienceMolecular and Soft-matterUltrafast Nano-optics and NanophotonicsMineralogy and Geochemistry

Marleen Axt, Benjamin G. Whetten, Gerson Mette, Jens Güdde, Markus B. Raschke, Ulrich Höfer
Commun. Phys. (2026).
DOI PDF

The broken inversion symmetry and strong spin-orbit coupling of transition metal dichalcogenides and the resulting spin-valley locking are the foundation for potential two-dimensional spin devices and valleytronics. However, ultrafast valley polarization is difficult to characterize due to the need to image both intra- and inter-valley scattering across the Brillouin zone. Here, we present an all-optical method for measuring the rate of ultrafast spin- and momentum-conserving scattering through circularly polarized time-resolved pump-probe second-harmonic spectroscopy. With Wollaston-prism-based detection for facile and simultaneous measurement of both K and K’ valley populations, using the example of exfoliated tungsten diselenide monolayers we resolve intra-valley and inter-valley scattering rates of 460 fs and 20 fs, respectively. These ultrafast time scales indicate rapid room temperature valley depolarization through either intervalley exchange coupling or the Elliot-Yafet mechanism, and are consistent with recent time-resolved molybdenum diselenide and tungsten disulfide results.